WATCH: Elina Svitolina's Padel Club in Kyiv damaged by Russian attacks
(Courtesy : X/@ukrtennis_eng)
The Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing for more than four years
Elina Svitolina‘s Padel Club (aka SVITO Padel Club) in Kyiv was damaged in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital overnight on September 8, the club confirmed in a statement.
“SVITO was damaged by the blast wave as a result of the overnight attack,” it said, adding that no one was hurt and that repairs were already underway. The venue, which Svitolina opened with former Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky in May, sits at Kyiv’s GARAGE space and features seven covered courts.
The wider damage across the city was extensive. Preliminary reports indicate that at least 14 apartment buildings were hit, along with cars, a dormitory, a school, a clinic, a supermarket, a gas station, warehouses and an administrative building.
Svitolina calls for “concrete actions”
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Svitolina later shared on Instagram that 776 Ukrainian athletes and sports officials have died since the war began and that 942 sports facilities across the country have been damaged or destroyed, with Svitolina’s club now among them. She called on the community for support and “concrete actions” to help end the aggression.
Related: What’s next for Carlos Alcaraz after US Open 2026 exit?
The attack lands in the middle of the US Open, where the war continues to affect how Ukrainian and Russian players interact on court.
Svitolina maintains ‘no-handshake’ policy with Russia and Belarus
Svitolina has refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents since 2022, a stance the Ukrainian maintained again at this year’s tournament after her third‑round loss to Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya.
Marta Kostyuk has held the same stance for years — famously tapping rackets instead of shaking hands with Belarus’s Victoria Azarenka in 2022 — and has repeatedly called for Russian athletes to be banned from the tour altogether.
Both players have said the gesture has nothing to do with individual opponents and everything to do with standing behind Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.
What is the name of Elina Svitolina’s Padel club?
The name of the club is SVITO Padel Club, which Svitolina opened with former Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky on May 4 earlier this year.
What happened to Elina Svitolina’s Padel Club ?
The club was damaged during a Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital on September 8. “SVITO was damaged by the blast wave as a result of the overnight attack,” the club said in a statement.
How did Elina Svitolina react to the attack on her Padel Club?
In a strongly worded post, Svitolina wrote that “As of today, 776 Ukrainian athletes and sports officials have been killed as a result of Russian aggression. 942 sports facilities across Ukraine have been damaged or completely destroyed. Today, my club, SVITO PADEL, became one of them. Ukrainian athletes and our younger generation do not have the opportunity to train and prepare for international competitions on equal terms with athletes from other countries.”
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